


chocolate cake

by katocchi



Series: alphabits [1]
Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Birthday Fluff, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Developing Relationship, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Humor, Protective Siblings, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-03
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2021-01-21 02:09:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21291893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katocchi/pseuds/katocchi
Summary: it's too dark for her to walk home alone.
Relationships: Matsuoka Gou/Tachibana Makoto
Series: alphabits [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1534889
Comments: 6
Kudos: 49





	1. Part 1

**PART I**

She stared blankly at the road ahead of her, fingers tightening on her bag. Practice officially finished an hour ago, but both Iwatobi and Samezuka swim teams had decided to have extra practice. It wouldn't hurt. As Iwatobi's manager, she had to stay and supervise. She didn't know that the sun would so quickly. No, she wasn't afraid of the dark. Besides, the streetlights were on. What really scared her was-

"Ah, Gou-chan? Is that you?" a voice rang out. Gou nearly jumped a mile in the air and her red eyes flitted behind her, finding the source of the voice. When he stepped out of Samezuka High's entrance, she gave a sigh of relief.

"Oh, Makoto-senpai," she said. "Hello."

"You're still here?" he asked, coming up to stand beside her. "I thought everyone left?"

"I was suppose to go home with Onii-chan today, but he challenged Haru-senpai to another race and they still haven't come out yet. Nagisa-kun dragged Rei-kun off somewhere," Gou replied. "I was just about to go home."

"Alone?" Makoto raised an eyebrow. "Haven't you heard the news? Lately, high school girls have been disappearing during the night. They're found hurt and violated in empty alleys."

_That_ was what she was really scared of.

"Well, Onii-chan was going to be with me, but I guess he forgot," she shrugged. She put on an air of bravado. "It happens now and then. Now, if you excuse me, I'll be heading back-"

He pulled her hand just as she was about to walk away and gave her his signature smile, the one that made her heart flutter every time. "Just wait here," he said. "I'm going to get my things and walk you home."

"Oh it's fine, Makoto-senpai! You don't need to trouble yourself!"

"Please?" He stared at her with his green eyes, pleading.

"Um...ah...o-okay," she stammered incoherently. Grinning triumphantly, Makoto let go of her hand and went back into Samezuka High. Gou found herself alone again, still facing the road. She faintly remembered Nagisa telling her that Makoto, despite his tall and muscular build, was actually afraid of many things.

_He just doesn't want to be alone_, she thought. _I mean, why else would he walk me home? It's nice manners to accompany a girl._

"Sorry, Gou-chan!" Makoto called, his bag slung over one shoulder. "Shall we get going?"

"Yeah," she said. She latched onto his elbow, earning an odd look.

"Gou-chan?"

She quickly let go. "Oh, that was instinct! Um...that's how Onii-chan and I would walk when it's dark ever since we were kids. He said he'd rather have me next to him than in front or behind. You never know what could happen," she rambled, blushing lightly. She bowed her head. "Sorry."

He laughed and offered her a hand. "He's not wrong," Makoto said. "I'm the same way with my younger siblings."

She slid her hand into his. Without meeting his gaze she muttered, "It's getting late."

"Right!"

And on they walked. Makoto led the way to the Matsuoka house, having already been there before. As he glanced back at Gou (she was trailing a few inches behind him), he noticed that her eyes would move around and she'd flinch every time there was a sound. Her head was inclined, however, and if Makoto went on a different route, she wouldn't have noticed. He gave her fingers a reassuring squeeze.

"We're almost there," he announced when they turned onto the Matsuoka's street. It was then that Gou spotted the plastic bag in his hand.

"What's that?" she blurted.

"What's what?"

She pointed to the bag. "What's in there?"

"Nothing important," he said absently. They had stopped in front of her house. "See you tomorrow, Gou-chan."

"Makoto-senpai, you should stay for dinner!"

"I wouldn't want to impose-"

Gou shook her head. "It's fine. Think of it as a thank you," she insisted, giving him her own puppy eyes. "Please?"

"...If it's okay with your parents."

She smiled and pushed him into her house, yelling, "Mom, I'm home. And we have a guest for dinner!"

Ms. Matsuoka stuck her head out of the kitchen and her eyes perked up. "Oh my, Mako-kun, is that you?"

"Pardon the intrusion. It's been a long time, Matsuoka-san," Makoto greeted. "Do you mind if I let my parents know I'm staying?"

"Go ahead!" Ms. Matsuoka pointed toward the phone in the living room. Once he left, she turned toward her daughter. "So, it's Mako-kun, eh? I always thought you would go after Rei-kun or Nagi-kun, but I guess Gou-chan prefers the older ones."

"Mom, you're being embarrassing," Gou complained.

She only gave a laugh and ducked back into the kitchen, calling, "Dinner in thirty minutes!"

Gou skipped into the living room and plopped onto the couch, next to Makoto. "Mom says we're eating in half an hour."

"You eat late in the evening," he remarked as she turned on what she dubbed her 'undercover videos'. She had recorded other swim teams in order to learn their strengths and weaknesses.

"Sometimes Onii-chan would drop by to visit but only at this time," she answered. "Mom really likes it when we eat together, so she makes dinner and hopes that he'll come."

"Why doesn't your mom just tell him to come home and eat?"

She tilted her head. "Ever since Rin went to Australia, Mom let him have free reign over his life. I guess she doesn't want to hold us back from experiencing reality ourselves."

"Your mom is nice."

"Yeah."

They fell into a comfortable silence, watching the previous year's tournament. It was broken when Ms. Matsuoka shrieked.

"MOM?"

"I forgot some ingredients," the older woman threw a coat over her shoulders before rushing out the door. "I'll be right back!"

"But Mom-" The door slammed shut, leaving Makoto and Gou alone. The latter immediately jumped and scampered towards the kitchen, stuttering, "I'll go get some drinks!"

Like before, his hand shot out and latched onto her own. "Gou-chan?"

"Yes?"

"You wondered what was in the bag, right?" he asked, holding up the mystery package in question.

"It's fine if you don't want to tell me! It isn't my business anyway."

"No, it involves you," he said, placing the bag on the table in front of the sofa. Intrigued, she sat back down.

Makoto peeled back the bag and opened the box, revealing a beautifully round cake. Gou swallowed thickly. "I-Is that chocolate?"

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I heard from your brother that it happens to be your birthday today. He also said that you gave up chocolate in middle school, hoping to be more athletic."

"I told him never to repeat that!"

"But birthdays are suppose to be special and Rin said you used to love chocolate, so I...if you don't like it, then don't force yourself!"

Gou grinned. "I love it!" She tackled him in a hug. "Thank you, Makoto-senpai!"

He wrapped his arms around her, his brotherly instincts taking over. "It's nothing-"

They heard the front door open and the all too familiar voice of Rin Matsuoka call out, "I'm home!" His footsteps were frighteningly fast and he was at the living room entrance before Gou and Makoto could separate.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Rin grinned, his shark-like teeth glinting. "Makoto Tachibana, I'm giving you 10 seconds to run before I tear you to pieces."


	2. Part 2

**PART II**

"You didn't win," Rin snapped. "I just decided to go easy on you."

"Isn't that what you always say?" Haru raised an eyebrow, shifting the bag on his shoulder. Rin fervently continued to deny the fact that the silent ravenette had beaten him once again. "Besides, weren't you supposed to walk Kou-chan home today?"

Rin stopped in his tracks and looked to Samezuka High three blocks back. "...shit."

Haru watched as the older Matsuoka gripped his bag a little tighter, a habit that Gou also had when she was nervous. Without another word, he continued to walk and as he thought, Rin followed a few seconds later.

"I'm sure she already left, though. We didn't see her on our way out," Haru commented. "Maybe she left with Makoto."

"Maybe," he trailed off, eyes spotting a grocery store. "Hey, I gotta buy something really quick."

They made their way toward the brightly lit store and the doors opened, letting out a wave of cold air. "Stopping at your mom's for dinner tonight?" Haru inquired as Rin scanned the aisles.

"Yeah," he said, biting his lip. "Mom also said she was running low on some things."

They continued down the rest of the aisle and moved onto another one.

"Rin?"

At the sound of his name, Rin glanced to his right and gave the woman a questioning gaze. "Mom? What are you doing here?"

"I was picking up some extra ingredients for dinner, since Gou brought home a guest today," Ms. Matsuoka gestured to her shopping cart and smiled. "Hello, Haru-kun. Are you joining us as well?"

"If you'll have me," he said, nodding.

"A guest?" Rin straightened up as his mother started to grab containers off the shelves. "Is it the Chigusa Hanamura girl?"

"Oh, dear, three boys to feed. I'll have to buy more than _this_," the woman muttered to herself, mentally counting off ingredients. Rin froze. _Gou brought over a _**boy**? Ms. Matsuoka blinked when she realized that Rin had spoken. "And no, it's not Hanamura-chan. _Mako-kun_ came over. Can you believe it?"

"Mako-kun?" her son echoed. "You don't happen to mean Makoto Tachibana, do you?"

"Unless you know any other ones," she replied with a cheeky grin. "He's grown so tall and handsome now. I didn't recognize him at first, but he still has that smile and the same polite manners. You should take a page out of his book, Rin."

"And where are they now?" Rin ground out, ignoring her last statement.

"At home," she answered absently. "Haru-kun, you still like mackerels, right?" Haru responded with another nod. "Great, I have some in the fridge."

"Haru, help my mom with the groceries," Rin said before dashing out of the door.

"Where's he going?" Ms. Matsuoka wondered.

"Home," Haru answered. "Why'd you leave them at home, Ms. Matsuoka?"

"For a young couple, alone time is the best time," she said and drifted to another lane, laughing slightly. "Now, rice or noodles?"

* * *

Ways to Kill Makoto Tachibana, an ongoing list by Rin Matsuoka:

_*****Being shot. In the groin. Or anywhere else. Just preferably in the groin area._

Yes, Rin had a gun permit and a shotgun in his old room at the Matsuoka residence. Although he was capable of shooting a target up to 40 feet away (his arms wasn't just good for _swimming_), shooting someone was a serious offense that one does not simply get away with in the town. Or the country in general.

_*****Getting run over by a 16-wheeler_

Unfortunately, Rin did not own a 16 wheeled truck. He should ask for that on his next birthday.

** _*_ ** _ Thrown off a plane_

Rin did not own a plane, either.

_*****Drowning_

The stupid bastard could swim. And two fucking inches taller.

* * *

Rin made it to his house in record time. He jammed his keys into the lock and swung the door open. Deciding to announce his arrival, he shouted, "I'm home!" and kicked his shoes off. He barely registered Makoto's shoes placed neatly next to his sister's.

"Well, well, well," he snarled when he got to the living room. Goddammit, she was in his _arms_. "Makoto Tachibana, I'm giving you ten seconds before I tear you to pieces."

"Rin," Makoto greeted with a lopsided grin, blissfully unaware of the redhead's murderous glare. "I take it you lost to Haru again?"

"Why, you little-"

"Onii-chan!" Gou chirped. Rin's red eyes slid to her. "Welcome home."

Despite himself, Rin felt a smile tug at his lips. "You got home by yourself?"

"No, Makoto-senpai walked me home," she said. Closing the box with the chocolate cake, she told Makoto, "We'll eat this after dinner. I'll just go put this in the fridge." She got up, beamed at her brother, and brushed past him to get to the kitchen. When she left, Rin turned back to Makoto.

With a confused look, Makoto asked, "...then did you _beat _Haru?"

"I let him win," Rin spat, ignoring Makoto when he opened his mouth to talk. "Who do you think you are, making a move on my little sister? Good God, you're lucky it's not legal to _burn you where you stand_."

"You don't approve, then?" Makoto stood up and looked down at Rin (because of his _two inches_).

The latter's jaw dropped. "Tachi-_freakin_-bana. You aren't serious." Because somewhere in the back of his mind, Rin was hoping Makoto was joking. "I'm going to strangle you."

"Onii-chan!" Rin felt a sharp tug on his shirt. "You can't just threaten our guest!"

"I can when he's trying to ask you out," Rin growled. Gou glanced at Makoto and started to laugh. "_What_?"

"He wasn't confessing," she tittered. "The cake was a present for my birthday. Besides, Mom is almost home. Let's help make dinner."

The red head gave Makoto one last glower before the front door opened and Ms. Matsuoka came in with Haru carrying their food.

* * *

Makoto _did _ask Gou to be his girlfriend, but it happened a few days after that day at the Matsuoka house. Rin couldn't hurt the brunette (his sister made sure of that), but he did the next best thing: he sent the bastard a copy of his ever growing list should Makoto ever break up with Gou. Rin personally made sure the list-without the extra commentary, of course-hung on the back of Makoto's door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weeee, the second chapter from 2014. A sequel to this, featuring the first date, is in development!

**Author's Note:**

> **[a/n.]**  
this was originally posted on ffn in 2014, but here it is five years later, unedited, on ao3!
> 
> as always, please leave kudos or a comment if you liked it! and if you want to support my art or writing, please visit my ko-fi/patreon: aerysian.
> 
> katocchi


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